Could a daith piercing cure your migraines?

Yes, it's a little offbeat. But before you roll your eyes, here's what you need to know about the method some people swear by.

Photo: Instagram.com/brittsgonesblissful

Anyone who suffers the sharp and debilitating pain specific to migraines – long-lasting, or not – knows that there’s no panacea too obscure to try.

But the latest cure-all gaining traction is the (otherwise very cool, let’s admit it) daith piercing.

Some people who suffer chronic migraines have espoused the benefits of piercing the cartilage which sits on the central, inner part of the ear, and have credited what otherwise looks like a trend most of us wouldn’t have the confidence to pull off (just me, then?) with alleviating this chronic condition.

The theory is that the spot of this piercing is linked to a pressure point that helps ease head tension, and thus acts as a preventative measure against migraines.

And, while there is no medical evidence to back this up, people have come out anecdotally and said that this simple piercing has rid them of migraines – some, permanently.

Sheri Utecht, whose migraines left her so ill there were days she “couldn’t leave the house” told the Daily Mail that since getting her daith pierced, she’s had “virtually no pain in my head, which was almost constant before.”

Another woman, Nicole Bandes, went viral on Facebook when she posted a shot of her newly-pierced ear, saying; “I would get three to four migraines per month on average. Not enough to warrant some of the extreme measures but enough to affect my life. Each migraine would take me out for one to two days at a time.”

The post, which was published around three years ago – but every few months re-surges – wrote at the time: “I've now had this for over six months and can honestly admit that is has worked for me. I've seen a reduction in frequency and intensity of my migraines where nothing else seemed to help.”

The piercing has been compared to acupuncture, but according to Dr Kirk Wilson, who has a PhD in acupuncture and how it can be used as an effective treatment for anxiety and depression, it is incorrect to say the daith piercing is rooted in Chinese medicine.

“I'm not saying it doesn't work, but I'm saying it's not in line. In Chinese medicine, what we do is ascertain what the underlying energetic imbalance is, which is causing people to experience the headache - and then treat that,” says Dr Wilson, who specifies that the spot of the daith piercing isn’t necessarily where an acupuncturist would focus, if you came to them looking for a cure for migraines.

There is no one spot, per se, but rather a range of factors that the practitioner would look into, he says.

“Also, the inclusion criteria for what constitutes an acupuncture point is quite vague. It's difficult to understand. Thereby it is difficult to exclude that something might have a therapeutic effect. But what I will say is that [using the daith as a point to relieve the tension caused by migraines] is not consistent with the general consensus amongst Chinese medicine practitioners – but that's not to say that it doesn't work.”

However, according to GP Dr Jessica Ivany, “there is not much evidence to support piercing for migraines.”

But if you do suffer, Dr Ivany says “there are many treatments available. If you get migraines every so often you can take medications such as asprin and triptans as needed.”

Botox has been shown to be highly effective. Treatments are typically administered every three months, and each session lasts approximately 10 minutes. And, a specially trained doctor will inject various points – like the forehead, temples, back of the head – depending on your case.

Then, there are general measures – such as yoga, meditation, stress reduction, reducing triggers – such as caffeine and alcohol – as well as looking at a person’s lifestyle.

Otherwise, Dr Ivany says that “the treatment of chronic pain is very complex and often involves many disciplines – in fact, medications may only play a small part. There is emerging evidence for acupuncture, massage, physiotherapy and psychological therapies, and, of course, maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly cannot be overlooked.”